Letters

Counter-revolution is driving the bloody conflict in Yemen

The conflict in Yemen is misrepresented in the mainstream media. It paints the resistance in the city of Aden as being either pro-imperialist backers of the president Hadi, or Al Qaida.

South Yemen has in fact witnessed peaceful movements for independence since 2007.

The current battle is between that movement and former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his Houthi militia allies who recently invaded the city.

The movement has real local support and has now been forced into full scale armed struggle against Saleh and the Houthi.

Saleh and his allies have been committing atrocities since their invasion of Aden, killing hundreds and wounding over a thousand more civilians through sniping and shelling. Whole families have been burned alive by the shelling of their houses.

In one case those emerging from a burning building tried to wave white flags, but were still gunned down. Ambulances were targeted.

Saleh stepped down in 2011 to head off the revolutionary uprising in the country. But resistance continued against the Hadi regime that took his place, with people boycotting his fraudulent election in 2012.

Saleh had been preparing for this attack. He dug tunnels for his fighters and hid enormous stores of weapons in civilian businesses.

Few have any illusions that the Saudis can bring any solution as they support the despised Hadi and continue a forced unity of North over South.

Saudi intervention was not asked for. The fighting has been done by the local resistance, with the support of the population.

The West, Saudi Arabia and others are responsible for this disaster. As part of the counter revolution in 2012 they brokered an agreement which gave immunity to war criminal Saleh.

The only possible solution now is to restart the revolution.

Mirfat Sulaiman, Birmingham

By fighting we can win

Health workers who knew victimised trade unionist Charlotte Monro were overjoyed about the news of her reinstatement (Socialist Worker, 11 April). In the canteen nurses came up to hug us.

Now we need to make sure there’s no more bullying and job cuts at Barts Health NHS Trust.

We need to rebuild a fighting union to take on the next fights—such as the Tories’ attacks on unsocial hours pay. If our leaders don’t lead, we need to build networks that can put on the pressure and take action.

Charlotte’s victory shows that by fighting we can win.

Sam Strudwick, Whipps Cross Hospital Unison union rep (pc)

A personal recollection

There has been much chatter following a TV debate of party leaders in Scotland last week.

People have commented on how well Labour leader Jim Murphy performed.

As someone who knew Murphy in my student days at Strathclyde University, I feel that I should bring a little balance.

You might think he’s just a self-seeking, ultra-Blairite, warmongering, pro-market, pro-Zionist, Unionist scumbag. But that would be a bit unfair.

He’s also cynical and back-stabbing, with all the warmth of a dead eel and all the charisma of a table leg. Hope that helps.

Mark Brown, Glasgow

Detainees moved after joining protest

Following a protest at Dungavel detention centre in Lanarkshire last month detainees have been moved.

It is very hard to find out what has happened to them.

The demonstration outside the centre was organised by groups including the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees.

When detainees inside heard us they began to join in with the chants.

They had been involved in resistance in the weeks leading up to the protest, including going on a hunger strike.

But now we believe the leader of the hunger strike has been deported, and some people were moved to England.

The fact they’ve been moved means they will need to find new lawyers for their cases.

We had a petition on Dungavel at the protest against Trident last week. It went down really well—we got around 300 signatures.

People were queuing up to sign it.

We also intend to have a public meeting this month, and a national demonstration at Dungavel on 30 May.

Margaret Woods, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees

Solidarity with Yarmouk

Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus has been invaded by Isis and is being bombed by the Assad regime in Syria.

Palestinians there are suffering more than ever before. Please spread the word.

We need global solidarity to call for the liberation of Yarmouk.

They need us to raise our voices. No to Isis. No to Assad. No to Western intervention. Liberate Yarmouk! Justice for Palestine!

Remembering Tony Cliff

His political break with the standard Trotskyist critique of Russia after its Revolution was of profound importance.

But his greatest achievement was keeping the central core of activist Marxism alive.

This is an orientation on the working class as the force that can change society and rebuild it.

His writings are online are well worth reading today bit.ly/1Pnh10Q.

Martin Empson, Manchester

Keep rotten royals buried

A long-dead king still gets more prime coverage than ordinary workers both past and present.

A month on from the reburial of Richard III articles are still appearing about him.

The upper classes take care of their own while we’re supposed to stand “humble and reverent” to a 500 year old dead monarch.

Eleanor Claxton-Mayer, Leeds

Return of the warmonger

I was sickened to see the reappearance of warmonger Tony Blair last week.

Labour seems to think he will make a difference during the election.

This is baffling. He launched a war that killed over a million Iraqis. He is a war criminal.

Charlotte Johnson, East London

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